Sunlight is not the enemy, your irrational fear of it is.
Modern society has programmed us to fear the sun. For years, we have been conditioned to believe that there is a direct correlation between increasing rates of skin cancer and exposure to sunlight. But, given that humans have been basking in the sun’s glorious rays since the dawn of time, how can this be true?
The answer is it can’t. The sun is not inherently dangerous - it’s vital to our existence on earth and we quite literally cannot live without it.
In this post, we are going to uncover who the real enemy is in the war that has been waged on the sun (hint: it’s the usual culprits) and shine a light on how you can safely maximize your exposure to natural sunlight.
Why You Need More Sun
Since the dawn of time, humans have been not only enjoying, but worshipping the sun. And for good reason. Sunlight is the source of all life and it nourishes our minds, bodies, and souls.
That is not to say it does not have the potential to cause damage. As ancient civilizations well-understood, the sun is capable of harm. Apollo, the Greek and Roman god of medicine as well as sun and light, could bring sickness or health.
The scientists of today have come to a similarly dichotomous conclusion - the sun’s ultraviolet radiation, like anything, can be both good and bad. However, it is fair to say that the possible negative implications of excessive or irresponsible sun exposure have been grossly overstated and manipulated by Big Pharma so that they can sell us more soyscreen and after sun. The benefits of sunlight exposure always far outweigh the risks.
Why? Well, first and foremost, the sun is our most potent and readily available source of vitamin D. In most cases, a vitamin D deficiency is associated with a lack of time spent outdoors. When we lack enough vitamin D, we are placed at greater risk of developing all sorts of illnesses. For instance, studies have suggested that there may be a link between insufficient vitamin D levels and multiple sclerosis.
While the role of sunlight in boosting vitamin D is relatively well-known, some of the other benefits of sun exposure are not given enough credit. For instance, sunlight also:
- Regulates our circadian rhythm by stimulating melatonin and serotonin production.
- Helps prevent autoimmune diseases.
- Increases endorphins.
Nevertheless, people are still afraid of the sun, with many wrongly believing that sun exposure can cause cancer.
Debunking the Sun Causes Cancer Myth
In the late-nineteenth century, the first reports of a possible association between sun exposure and skin cancer emerged. Nonetheless, it wasn’t until the 1930s that the US Public Health Service started warning the public about sun-related health risks.
Today, the three primary forms of skin cancer - melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma - are often attributed to excessive and chronic UV exposure. However, this “scientific” assertion belies the nuance and complexity of the problem.
First of all, a lack of UV radiation and a lack of vitamin D have both been tied to a range of other health problems and cancers. Maybe it’s not the sun but our increasingly infrequent exposure to it, combined with vitamin D deficiency, that is the cause of skin cancer then?
Certainly, in the majority of cases, malignant melanomas and other skin cancers occur on the least sun-exposed areas of the body. Some researchers have even argued that increased sun exposure for patients with early-stage melanoma is linked to higher survival rates.
All this is to say, the sun itself is not the problem, infrequent and irregular exposure to it is.
8 Top Tips for Natural Sun Exposure
Given this, it makes sense that a person’s tolerance to UV radiation is a key factor in their vulnerability to developing skin cancer. Luckily, it is possible to build a greater tolerance through simple lifestyle changes that allow us to enjoy the sun - burn and cancer-free - just as humans are supposed to. Below are 8 tips for doing just that:
1. Be aware of solar ‘callus’
First things first, you can’t expect to go out and spend hours in tropical sunshine if your body is not used to it. Too many people make the mistake of spending months indoors under blue light, then going on holiday and getting burned to a crisp.
It’s important to build up your ‘tolerance’ to sunlight through slowly exposing yourself to it over time to develop a ‘solar callus’. For instance, if you are starting at zero, do 15 minutes of peak sun exposure to begin with, then slowly build it up to 20 minutes, 25 minutes, and so forth.
2. Watch the sunrise and sunset
Taking time to watch the sunrise and sunset is vital to healthy sun exposure.
Morning sunlight is higher in infrared light and lower in UV light than afternoon sunlight. So, when you view the sunrise, you prepare your body to absorb more sunlight later in the day.
Evening sunlight is the time of the highest natural healing red light exposure. This is especially important if you have been sunburned, as the sunset’s red light promotes skin recovery and repair.
3. Don’t wear sunscreen
Growing up, we were all cautioned about the dangers of sunlight exposure without sunscreen. I’m sure most of us remember being slathered from head to toe in the stuff before being allowed outside in summer, warnings about sunburn and cancer echoing in our minds.
But what if I told you this was all a lie - that your fear of the sun is a ploy devised by Big Pharma so that they can sell you their “soyscreen”? Commercially available sunscreen is a toxic slop of poisonous chemicals and known carcinogens that is best avoided at all costs.
More than this, sunscreen “enables” you to stay out in the sun longer than you otherwise would as it artificially increases your body’s tolerance. It also decreases vitamin d production and reduces your ability to develop a naturally protective tan.
Instead, when you’ve had enough sun, simply cover up your body with clothes or find some shade. It’s really that simple.
4. Use coconut oil
Or, if you want some sort of protection, then why not try slathering coconut oil on your body instead?
Coconut oil is a great natural alternative to soyscreen. Not only does it have an SPF of between 4 and 10, but the saturated fats it contains are fantastic for moisturizing the skin and accelerating post-exposure repair.
5. Take astaxanthin
For even more protection, astaxanthin acts as a great internal sunscreen.
Known as the ‘king of the carotenoids’, astaxanthin is the stuff that gives salmon, crab, and lobster meat its distinctive red hue. For humans, astaxanthin is one the most powerful antioxidants and can therefore help prevent sunburn by blocking damaging UV radiation.
6. Eat a clean diet
A lot of the “sunburn” you suffer from is due to the oxidation of polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) and other chemicals stored in your skin which heat up when sunlight hits. There are two simple and easy remedies to this:
- Stop eating seed oils (e.g., vegetable, cottonseed, soy, canola oil) and factory-processed foods.
- Consume more high-quality saturated fats (e.g., eggs, coconut oil, beef tallow, butter, ghee).
7. Hydrate
Hydration is key to healthy sun exposure. When you have high levels of minerals and electrolytes in the body, your skin becomes more hydrated and therefore better-prepared for sun exposure and post-exposure repair. But, believe it or not, water isn’t necessarily the best way for you to hydrate.
If you want to maximize your hydration levels, try things like organic coconut water, fresh fruit juices, high quality spring water, or adding mineral salts (e.g. Sol Salts) to filtered water.
8. Don’t wear sunglasses
Last but not least, do not wear sunglasses.
Why? Well, this is because your body takes in the most amount of light information through the eyes. Sunglasses inhibit your body’s natural responses to sunlight exposure as they trick the brain into thinking you’re still indoors.
Conclusion
So it seems the real enemy is not the sun, but Big Pharma and those who seek to profit from keeping you indoors all day every day.
Ultimately, if you follow these 8 tips and are on point with your diet and lifestyle, sunlight exposure feels invigorating and revitalizing, and does not pose a risk to your health.